The time has come to take a look at what to expect from UTSA football in Year 3 of the program.

And I know an obvious question.

“Isn't this the guy that picked UTSA to finish 4-8 last fall?”

That's true. Last summer, I was asked to make a prediction on the Roadrunners. At the time, 4-8 seemed generous.

That was wrong. The Roadrunners got hot, won their first five games, then cruised home to 8-4.

It's time to take another run at it.

It seems appropriate, after all, following the release last week of schedule information out of Conference USA.

We know that the Roadrunners will play home conference games against Rice, Alabama-Birmingham, Tulane and Louisiana Tech, and road games at UTEP, Marshall, Tulsa and North Texas.

Along with non-conference road games at New Mexico and Arizona and home tilts with Oklahoma State and Houston, UTSA faces its first 12-game FBS schedule.

So, how will it all turn out?

Here is what I know: UTSA coach Larry Coker told me a few months ago that he feels his team has a chance to take another major step this year. He said the Roadrunners took one of those steps in 2012, and he thinks that with senior quarterback Eric Soza back, the team can take another one this fall.

But I winced when I started to break down the caliber of the 2013 opponents.

Five of UTSA's foes finished with winning records in 2012, and four of those five won bowl games.

Games against those opponents could be difficult, if not impossible, for UTSA to win.

Oklahoma State, for instance, likely falls into the impossible-to-win category.

Arizona and Tulsa on the road likely will be just as tough. Rice at home will be a bear.

Louisiana Tech, the fifth team on UTSA's schedule with a winning record from last year, will be interesting.

It might be a 50-50 deal at this point because of Louisiana Tech's coaching staff turnover and a loss of star talent.

The other seven could be characterized as winnable if you buy into the idea that the Roadrunners might see another lightning bolt of improvement.

But here's another thought:

Even with the increase to 85 scholarships, the program will feel the loss of cornerback Erik Brown, dismissed from the team recently for violation of team rules. It'll be tough to replace the team's best cover corner, a veteran.

So, that might make even the games against the most beatable opponents — we're talking Tulane (2-10 last year), UAB (3-9), UTEP (3-9) and North Texas (4-8) — iffy propositions.

Iffy? Projecting football is never an easy job, particularly in January with a third-year program, so we'll leave you today with a best-case, worst-case scenario.

If everything goes well, the prediction is 7-5. But if things go awry, don't be surprised by 4-8.